Akinwunmi Adesina, former President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), has co-founded the Global Africa Investment Summit (GAIS) to connect African governments with global CEOs and major investors. The platform is designed to move Africa away from aid dependence toward investment-driven growth.
The summit, scheduled to hold in Angola later this year, aims to unlock large deals by linking Africa’s assets directly to global capital. Adesina described GAIS as a trusted market maker that will help position Africa as a prime destination for serious investments.
He said Africa must begin to unlock its vast sovereign assets to create wealth, stressing that the continent’s economic future depends on turning opportunities into bankable investments rather than relying on foreign aid.
Africa has a population of nearly 1.3 billion people and the world’s fastest-growing youth population, yet it continues to underperform economically due to fragmented markets and limited preparation of public assets for private investment.
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Africa remains low compared to other regions. According to the United Nations Trade and Development World Investment Report, Africa accounted for only six percent of global FDI in 2024.
GAIS plans to reverse this trend by presenting investors with structured opportunities across the continent. Organisers say Africa’s population is projected to double by 2030, alongside a fast-growing middle class that is expanding consumer demand.
The continent’s consumer market is also expanding rapidly, rising from $1.4 trillion in 2015 to a projected $2.5 trillion by 2030. This growth is expected to create major openings for foreign and local investors.
Key sectors identified for investment include critical minerals, rare earth metals, energy, agriculture, digital infrastructure, and other high-growth industries that are essential for global supply chains and future technologies.
Several global leaders and business figures have expressed support for the initiative. Among them are Ghana’s President John Mahama, Kenya’s President William Ruto, Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Business leaders such as Aliko Dangote and Robert Gumede, as well as former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, have also backed the call for Africa to fully harness its economic potential through structured investments rather than aid.